Lewis Hamilton has admitted he could soon ask Ferrari to abandon their troubled 2025 campaign and focus entirely on next year's car.
The seven-time world champion's confession comes after a dismal start to his highly anticipated move to the Italian team.
"I don't know what upgrades we have coming. We haven't had an upgrade for quite some time," Hamilton said following the Spanish Grand Prix.
"We'll keep pushing with what we have but, before too soon, I'll be just saying focus on next year."
Lewis Hamilton has told Ferrari to potentially think about ditching the season
Reuters
Such a shift would effectively mean surrendering what has become an increasingly difficult debut season at Maranello.
The statistics paint a grim picture for the Scuderia. Ferrari trails McLaren by a staggering 197 points in the constructors' championship after just nine races.
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The team has failed to win a single Grand Prix this season, though Charles Leclerc has managed three podium finishes.
Hamilton's own results have been particularly underwhelming, with the Briton sitting sixth in the drivers' standings on 71 points.
His team-mate Leclerc occupies fifth place with 94 points, leaving Hamilton 23 points adrift.
Apart from one victory and a podium finish in Sprint races, the seven-time champion has little to show for his much-heralded switch from Mercedes.
Hamilton's qualifying performances had been a persistent weakness, though recent races showed improvement.
At Barcelona, he qualified fifth, two places ahead of Leclerc, sparking optimism.
But Sunday's race proved disastrous. Whilst Leclerc charged through to claim a podium position, Hamilton struggled desperately for pace.
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Lewis Hamilton admitted the Spanish Grand Prix was the "worst race I've experienced"
GettyHe eventually limped home in sixth place after Max Verstappen's late penalty.
The Briton was overtaken by Nico Hulkenberg's Sauber in the closing stages, compounding his misery. "It was the worst race I've experienced," Hamilton admitted afterwards.
His confidence appeared shattered when asked about Ferrari's prospects at the upcoming Canadian Grand Prix. "I don't know, if I'm honest," he replied.
Hamilton's suggestion to prioritise 2026 represents a stark contrast to his team-mate's fighting spirit. Leclerc remains determined to battle on despite acknowledging the challenge ahead.
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"I'll give everything until the end," the Monegasque vowed.
"I hope this weekend helps us to do a step in the right direction and then, hopefully with new parts as soon as possible, we can then take the lead in terms of performance on track at least."
Whilst Hamilton spoke of "building foundations this year" and "learning about the tools in terms of structure", Leclerc insisted Ferrari "cannot afford to lose too many races" in their pursuit of McLaren.
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